BYOD Risks: The Cyber Security Side Effects Of Remote-Access Work

Summary: This 3-minute article explains how the dramatic increase in remote-access work led to many employees doing their jobs on personal devices. Now, post-pandemic, the devices are brought to the office. Learn about the BYOD cyber security risks and how to protect your company’s data in the expanded mobile work environment. For further details, contact DIGIGUARD CYBER SECURITY at 833-33-CYBER (833-332-9237) or visit www.DIGIGUARDsecurity.com to discuss device security and all the cyber defense solutions available to protect your SMB from cyberattacks.

What is BYOD? It’s not instructions for a cocktail party. BYOD is the acronym for Bring Your Own Device. BYOD rose to prominence during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the pandemic-induced, mad scramble to create a vastly expanded, remote-access work model, many decisions had to be made on the fly. As with anything new, there were so many factors to consider. People working from home or out in the world had their own networks, workspaces and devices. In the past, many businesses required employees to work in a physical office, using company-owned computers and all the cyber security layers already built into the business network’s infrastructure. But now, many employees work outside the office, using their own devices and networks. Unfortunately, many users don’t have adequate cyber defense solutions in place. BYOD risks became immediately apparent as cybercrime grew by 400%.

Using personal devices for work has widened the target landscape for cyberattacks by presenting a plethora of new risks. When employees log on to your company’s network or email server, their device becomes a vulnerable endpoint. Therefore, businesses must incorporate BYOD cyber security into their IT budgets to adjust to the new normal. Unfortunately, even though the worst of the pandemic is over, many employees back in their offices still use their personal devices for work.

The Pros and Cons of BYOD

Employees using their own devices are afforded a lot of convenience. But there are other great benefits to the BYOD work model:

• High Comfort Level – Frequent device users become very comfortable using their own cell phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. They know how to move efficiently through the various interfaces and know where to access things they need on the device. Familiarity with personal devices is a benefit to both employee users and employers.
• Higher Productivity – Increasing an employee’s comfort level with personal devices leads to more efficiency and greater productivity because the user doesn’t waste time learning company devices or searching for files and programs. Thereby, more work can be completed in less time.
• Flexibility On The Go – Today, you can log on to the Internet anytime and anywhere in the world where you can get a WiFi or mobile data signal. By enacting BYOD policies, business owners can empower employees to be productive while commuting, waiting at an airport or at home in their bedrooms. The convenience, accessibility and flexibility of BYOD work support employees in getting more work done in less time.

Although a BYOD policy might sound like a win-win scenario for employers and their employees, there are significant BYOD risks that can arise:

• Insufficient BYOD Cyber Security – Whether employees bring their devices to work or use them outside the office, storing work and company data on their own machines increases the chances of a company data breach. Suppose employee users are not tech-savvy or don’t have sufficient cyber protections on their personal devices. In that case, they can fall victim to a malware attack via phishing emails posing as legitimate business communications. Also, if an employee loses a device, or if it is stolen or falls into the wrong hands, it could lead to a severe cyberattack that might infect your company and, in the worst cases, your customers and vendors.
• Device Compatibility – Although device-to-device compatibility is better than it once was, there are no guarantees that an employee user’s device will be compatible with all of your company’s devices and applications. When compatibility issues occur, employees might be unable to access the company files they need for work. In this case, productivity can take a nosedive.
• Attrition, Turnover and Retrieval – In a BYOD business environment, when employees leave the company, whether through resignation, firing or retirement, retrieving important company files can be difficult as employees' devices are entirely controlled by them. SMBs should have a data retrieval plan as part of their BYOD policy.

BYOD MDM and Device Security

With the proper policies, checks and balances in place, Bring Your Own Device Mobile Device Management or BYOD MDM is possible. However, the following elements should be addressed when creating a BYOD policy:

• Specify Permitted Devices – Not every connected device should be allowed in the workplace.
• Create and Enforce Employee Best Practices – It’s your company. Employees must apply the same security protocols established for their business’s devices and network. Security is a team project.
• Separation of Company Data vs. Personal Data – Corporate and personal files must not be commingled. In addition, the ownership of applications and data should be clearly defined.
• Exit Wiping – When an employee leaves or is about to leave a company, a plan should be established that keeps employees from leaving with company data. Employees' devices should be exit wiped to remove any company content.

The world is changing rapidly, and the business BYOD model is still evolving. Portability and flexibility are now critical elements for work. However, device security must always be a top consideration for protecting your company’s data as your company grows.